Forge Direct "Muramasa" Laminated Katana - Full Custom Option V4.0

Tradition melds with Science...

The Forge Direct Muramasa Katana, named after the Japanese swordsmith whose blades were a source of both dread and wonder, is one of the most unique and revolutionary swords ever produced - utiliziing the purity of modern steel to create a blade with a hard edge and shock resistant spine and core in a way that the ancient smith could have only ever dreamed of..

The wild hamon, while real, is created through metal extraction and not clay. It's achieved by grinding through the jacket layer of 1065 steel until the middle layer of T-10 is reached. The color of the steel is the natural unpolished look of the steel.

The five layer composition from side to side is: 1065, T-10, 1045, T-10, 1065 that is to say a tough outer layer, super hard exposed edge and soft shock resistant core.

Because the steel is placed in layers and welded together, they blend differently down both sides of the blade. The entire blade is then given a polish before the extraction on the edge. The reveal of the lamination is going to be different every single time, as the blend of the steels is never going to be the same, resulting in unique waves and patterns.

LAMINATION PATTERN VARIATIONS

The process provides an edge hardness of 62-64, a spine in the mid 40's, and a medium carbon core that is very good at diffusing shock.

The goal was to find a way to get the harder and sharper edge of a differentially hardened blade, but with a much higher level of tolerance to taking a set on a bad cut.

Currently only available as a pre-order, forging and delivery typically takes around 8-10 weeks (though may take longer depending on various factors such as which components are selected, etc and this blades are subject to quite stringent QC with several forged but only one making it past QC to be mounted up).

Available with a full range of customizations so if you don't like the default fittings, no problem! Customize to your hearts content..!)

ABOUT MURAMASA

Muramasa Sengo an infamous swordsmith who lived during the Muromachi (14th to 16th century) period. While there was no doubt he was a master of his craft, he was feared for his violent temper and was said to have been at least half mad - and this reputation extended to his swords, which were actually outlawed during the Tokugawa Shogunate, as Tokugawa himself had lost family members to these blades and even been cut by one himself - which made them high in demand with the enemies of the first Shogun..

Due to their dark reputation, Muramasa swords have been featured in many anime, manga, video games and even DC comics (such as Katana from Suicide Squad).

MAKE IT YOUR OWN IN SIX EASY STEPS

To truly make this sword your own, simply select one of the selections for each custom option in the dropdown menu as follows:

STEP ONE: SELECT THE HABAKI

Choose from 6 different styles of brass Habaki blade collars to begin creating your own unique style.

STEP TWO: SELECT THE FITTING SETS

Select the Koshirae (furniture) theme that best suits your style. You can select the default work hardened copper Muramasa theme (which is actually the best value as those sets are usually cost extra) or any of the usual premium quality traditional sets available across the Forge Direct custom Katana line - it is up to you. A wide selection of work hardened copper fitting sets are available here for a small additional fee.

STEP THREE: SELECT ITO WRAP COLOR

Select the color of the silk ito maki wrap (now made with hishigami on EVERY sword). "Bad Boy" Black leather ito wrap is also available here for a small additional fee.

STEP FOUR: SELECT RAYSKIN COLOR

Select the color of the rayskin under the ito maki wrap. 100% real rayskin is used in all cases, and can be left white or colored black or red. It is up to you. Additionally, you can select to upgrade from quality panel cuts to a full rayskin wrap by selecting the optional upgrade here (again, none of the optional upgrades are necessary to make a fine sword - but if you want to really refine it further, we allow you this opportunity).

STEP FIVE: SELECT SAGEO COLOR

Now select your choice of hard wearing, thick sageo to go on the saya. When in doubt, go with a simple color that closely compliments the ito maki wrap you have selected.

STEP SIX: SELECT THE SAYA

Finally, select the saya to give it that last personal touch. From simple monocolored lacquer to highly detailed mother of pearl. Basic saya are free, but the more advanced designs incur an additional cost to cover our expenses (and may occasionally add to the overall lead time, but as we try to keep them in stock this is rare). All saya come with a genuine buffalo horn koiguchi.

Then sit back and leave the rest to us!

Do not be fooled by cheap imitations, from the quality of the stunning blade to the amazing selection of best quality fittings, this is as close as you are ever likely to get to owning your own heirloom quality personalized katana..

PREMIUM OPTIONAL EXTRAS AND UPGRADES

The basic free/included options are more than enough to make a stunningly beautiful sword - but if you want to add something even more special to your design, in addition to a large and varied selection of saya, there are currently three options that can be added to your design if so desired as follows:

UPGRADE OPTION 1: Elite Premium Quality Work Hardened Copper Fitting Sets with Gold and Silver Inlay

UPGRADE OPTION 2: Hard wearing leather ito wrap

UPGRADE OPTION 3: FULL Rayskin wrap

UPGRADE OPTION 4: Custom Blade and Saya Length Option

Additionally, check this page of the SBG Sword Store Blog for more information on how these swords are made and high resolution images of all components. If you have any questions or if anything is unclear, feel free to contact us, we are only to happy to help.

How to Use